Automatic hatch



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- C. CHAPMAN.

AUTOMATIC HATCH, 65o.

d NOV. 27,1883.

Patente aNvENToR WiTNESSES AT'TR' EY.

"3 sheets-sheen 2.

v (No Model.)

' G. CHAPMAN;

' AUTOMATIC HATCH, aw. y NG. 289,068. y Patented Nokv. 27, 1883.

WITNESSES lNVENTOR (No Mdem s sheets-sheen 3.

C. CHAPMAN. AUTOMATIC HATCH, &c. No. 289,088. Patented Nov. 27, 1888.

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Y AUToMA-rlc HATCH, see.

srncrrroArron fer-ming part efl Lettere reiten: ne. 289,068, aerea November 2v, lese.

Application inea Meren a, nasa. (ne mener) 'ters which turn upon hinges or slide bodily in a lateral direction, and therefore I do not broadly claim an automatic shutter for such purposes. The shutters 'alluded to above are all objectionable, because they are either too mue-h exposed to accidental derangement or injury or weaken the door too much.

These defects are obvia-ted by my invention, which consists, essentially, in a shutter capable of winding around a shaft or reel, and thus capable of being operated and concealed in a very small space beneath the door, and without weakening any part of the structure.

Itl also consists in the devices hereinafterL described, or their equivalent, foroperating my winding-shutter.

That `others may fully understand my improvement, I will particularly describe it, having reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a perspective section of the same. Fig. 2 is a plan of one part ofthe shutter. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 are details. Fig. S is a diagram showing node of operation. Figs. 9, 10, l1, 12 are deails.

A is an ordinary guide-post, of which there is one on each of two opposite sides of the hatchway. Onthe edge of each post A,'front ing the hatchway, there. is a guidestrip, b, on which the elevator-car travels in its movements up and down. v

C is the flooring surrounding the hatchway.

.As the devices herein described will be substantially duplicated at each door, it will only be required to represent those at one floor.

At proper points between the joists and beneath the floor C, on each of the opposite sides a continuous strip of some suitable flexible Ina-` roc of the hatchway, there is a shaft, D, capable of revolution on its axis.

E Eis the shutter, made in two sections, each composed of strips of suitable material joined at their edges, so as to constitute parts or links of a chain capable of being rolled andwrapped around the shaft D. Vhen the elevator-car F is above or below the iloor C, the shutters EE are unrolled and drawn across the hatchway, as shown in Fig. As said car approaches said shutter either in its ascent or descent, the shutters are pushed back, the shaft D being ro'- tated to roll the shutters around it, so as to withdraw the shutters and leave the hatchway open. Vhen the car has passed, the shutter is again drawn out and the hatchway closed.

It is evident the automatic movement of the shutter E and its shaft D, as described, may be accomplished in a variety of ways, a-s by means of weights, pulleys, or springs applied directly to the rotating shafts, 85e.; but I prefer the simpler mode of pressure applied directly to the edge of the shutter, as hereinafter particularly described. Therefore, with out intending to confine myself strictly to the details of construction shown, I will describe the devices as I at present prefer to make them.

The shaft D is made square in cross-section,

,and the strips which constitute the shutter E are graduated in width,vso that as said shaft is rotated the shutter will be wrapped around it, as shown. The combined widths of the shutter-strips on each side are sufficient to reach the guide-strip b, so that when the two shutters are drawn out they will 'meet at the center of said strip, and thus completely close the hatchway. The shutter-strips are hinged to each other at their adjacent lower edges, and their ends are supported by and travel in suitable grooves made in the side frame of the hatchway. The motive device for each shutter is a chain or flexible strip, which is arranged to engage the carin its ascent and descent, so as to first push the shutter back into its cell, compelling it to rotate the shaft D and wind itself thereon 5 and, second, after the car has passed to draw said shutter out again and reclose the hatchway. I prefer a chain for this purpose, although it will be manifest that terial will Aaccomplish the same purpose. I have therefore shown both forms as modifications in the same plan, but with preference for the chain G. Said chain is constructed with links, each of which is composed of two parallel fiat plates, d d, c c, set edgewise, with pivot-bolts f inserted, and between the said plates a carrying-roller, g, so that in operating the shutter there is no dragging friction of the chain in its gnideway. As I propose to retract the shutter by pushing against it, instead of by power applied directly to the shaft D, itv is desirable that the chain shall haveonly a limited degree of flexibility, so thatv it cannot cramp one link with another if the gnideway happen to bc a little wider than necessary, and also so that when iiexed a certain degree it will become like a rigid curved bar. This may be accomplished by stops arranged in a variety of ways; but I prefer to prolong the link-plates c c and make notches h in their ends, as shown, and these, with the cross-pins i', form strong stops without in any way increasing the external dimensions of V v The chain Gis at one end jointed vto the inner or near edge of the outermost strip composing the shntter, and its length is the chain.

such that when said shutter is entirely retracted and the hatchway is'open the othery end of said chain will exactly reach to the center of the groove 7.1, made in the guide-post A by the' side of the guide-strip b. A sliding bar,

I-I, which, for convenience, I willcall a gshuttle,77 slides up and down in said groove, and the end ofthe chain G is jointed to it at Z, so

as to be drawn up or down with it, and there` by draw out or retract the shutter. To control and guide the chain as it is drawn out or pushed in by the movement of the shuttle, I place a frog, I, at the point where the groove 7s intersects the shutter-groove. rIhe frog I is preferably made of cast-iron, and is provided with curved flanges m mwhich serve as guide' ways for the chain G, which, as its movement is changed from horizontal to vertical, groove 7c crosses the frog I centrally. Then the car F is below the shutter E, the shuttle will always be at the lower end of its groove 7c, and when said jcar .is above the shutter said shuttle will always be at the upper end of said groove, so that from whichever side the ear approaches it may engage the shuttle and canse it to push the shutter open, and after the car has passed, by drawing theshuttle to the opposite end of the groove 7.1, it will cause the shutter to be again drawn out and the hatchway closed.

It will appear evident to any mechanic that the required engagements and disen 'gagements between the shuttle and car may be secured automatically in avariety of ways. The way I prefer, however, has been selected because it is simple and effective. rlhe shuttle has been provided with notches j) q, one near each latches o @,and each of said latches is provided with a4 laterally-projecting stud' or pin, t, one projecting in one direction and one projecting in the opposite direction. There are also two sets of riding-plates, a u, o c, attachedto the guide-post at proper points, so that at the proper moment for disengagement the pint will ride on its appropriateplate, and thelatch will thereby be withdrawn from the notch in the shuttle.

In Fig. 8 riding-plates a are shown in full lines and the plates o in dotted lines. The shuttle is also shown in said igure in its three positions of rest, marked 1, 2, 3. Supposing the car to be in motion upward, the latch will ride over the plate u and will engage with the iirst shuttle-plate, p, and pushing the shuttle along its groove, the shutter willbe opened. At the moment when said shutter has been fully vopened the pin t will encounter the riding-plate u and the cover will be disengaged from the shuttle. A similar riding-plate will prevent engagement of the latch r with the notch q,- or the riding-plate u may be sufficiently long for that purpose. rllhe car then passes through the hatchway, and the latch s, having passed over the riding-plate o', will engage with the notch g and draw the shuttle upward untilthe shutter has been closed,when it will be disengaged in a similar way by the riding-plate o. These devices and effects are repeated at each iioor.

Elevators are frequently placed in a corner of the lmildi11g,where there is not space for a rolling-up shaft between the hatchway and the wall. In such cases I arrange the pocket fw next the wall, and the exible hatchway-closer runs in and out over the edge of said pocket, a roller being placed at the entrance of said pocket to reduce friction. i

By an arrangement of independent ridingplates or equivalent devices, arranged to go into operation upon the breaking of the lifting-cable, the descent of the carin falling may be arrested by the first shutter below the point where the breaking occurred, because said independent riding-plates will prevent engagement with the shuttle; but I think it will not IOO ITO

whereby motion is communicated from said car to said shutter, substantially as set forth.

2. A hatchway-closing shutter, E, in two parts, composed of some suitable material, jointed together along` their lower proximate edges, winding-shafts the revolution of which extends or retract-s said shutter, and a moving or lift and self attaching and detaching means, whereby motion may be transmitted from said ear to said winding-shaft.

3. Ahatchway-closing shutter, E, composed of strips of suitable material jointed together along their lower proximate edges, and gradir ated in width as set forth, a square shaft, D, adapted to wrap said shutter around it by its revolution, a moving carand its self attaching and detaching means, whereby the motion of said car may be transmitted through said shutter to said shaft, and the same be caused to rotate by pushing or pulling upon the shutter, as set forth.

4. A wind-up hatchway-closing shutter, E, provided with a shuttle, H, moving in a guideway, 7c, and a flexible connection between said shuttle and the wind-up shaft of said shutter, and a frog, I, having curved guide-flanges m n, whereby the motion of said shuttle in its groove, above or below its median position, will draw out or retract the shutter, as set forth.

5. A wind-up shutter, E, provided with a shuttle, H, moving in a .guideway, k, and a "connecting-chain, G, provided with ridingrollers g, and a frog, I, provided with curved guide-flanges .in a, whereby the shutter may be drawn out by a `movement of said shuttle from its median position toward either end of its slots, and retracted or wound up by movement from either end of said slot toward its median position.

6. A wind-up shutter, E, a shuttle. H, and a frog, I, substantially as set forth, combined with a chain, G, provided with stops where by its flexibility is limited, as and for the pun pose set forth.

7. The chain G, composed of links d d e e, jointed by bolts f, and provided with extended ends and notches 11., and the stop -pins t', whereby the flexibility of the chain is limited, and pressure in a vertical direction may be transmitted to horizontal moving body without support for said chain at the point of deviation.

S. The rolhup shutter E, chain G, and shuttle vH, provided withv notches p q, combined with car F, provided with automatic means to cause engagement and disengagement with said shuttle at the proper times, substantially as set forth.

9. A moving elevator lift or car and a hatchway closing shutter, combined with means whereby said moving car causes said shutter to be positively opened in advance of said car, and again positively closed after the passage of the same.

10. Ashutter-operating shutt1e,H,provided with notches p q, severallyT nea-r its ends, asset forth, combined with the car F, provided with two automatic latches, i' s, severally near its upper and lower ends, and riding-plates u a o jv', substantially as set forth. y

11. Ashutter-operating shuttle,H,provided with notches p q, severally near to its ends, as set fortlncombined with the car F, provided with two automatic latches, o' s, severally near its upper and lower ends, and controlling devices to cause said latches to engage and dis engage said notches at the proper times, wherebya short shuttle may be employed.

CASS CHAPMAN.

Vitiiesses:

J. H. Bnnns, S. B. CLARK. 

